Reviews

We were so thrilled and blessed to have spent time on the water with the Alaska Sea to Shore folks whose love of Alaska shines through! Renee met us at the port after we disembarked the Princess Sapphire and from the moment she welcomed us into the van, couldn’t have wished for a more compassionate, informative, and nature-loving guide! We drove the short distance to the marina where their charter boat is located (named after Renee’s daughter!) and were soon off an spotting our first humpback whale (after spying many bald eagles by land and by sea). Captain Luke was aboard that day and navigated the waters flawlessly, finding spot after spot for us to observe these majestic creatures in their home without disturbance. The comforts aboard are likely all Renee’s touches, and were perfect. Cookies, binoculars, comfortable seating indoors and out. Both were top notch naturalists who didn’t hesitate to help us learn more about the sea life in Alaska, the humpback whales in the area and even had a nice resource book with photo identification and short bios, even names! We had a family ranging from 13 to 75 and all really enjoyed the trip. We saw spouts, flipper flapping, full and partial breaches, even listened to their calls with a nifty speaker hook up! Many of the other reviews are spot on, the welcoming to Juneau, the ability to teach us so much about the wildlife and show us in a short period of time really made our trip to Alaska so special. (Yes, there is a loo on board for those who want to know!) Like their website touts, you will feel like you are on a boat trip with friends. In a heartbeat, you want to see whales in Juneau book with them!!

Renee & Winston took our family on the most exciting whale tour!! They completely tailored our tour to ensure we were having the time of our lives! They take time to connect with each person – including our five year old who was enthralled with them. We couldn’t imagine a better whale tour anywhere else. Thank you for such a truly magical experience today 09.19.24.

Epic day with Winston & Renee on their boat. They are both SUPER nice and accommodating.
Pick up at the cruise port was super easy. Renee was super nice introducing herself and the day on the drive to Auke Bay. They had water, sodas and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies on board when we arrived! They were extreeely safe and answered our three 12 year old boys gazillion questions without any frustrations. We saw a lot of humpbacks and enjoyed trying to identify them. Most of us even tasted the bull kelp she pulled out of the water.
The 8 of us had such a memorable time and enjoyed getting to know Winston & Renee for the afternoon! Book directly within them and you won’t regret it!

We had the most amazing experience! Renee and Winston were so friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. We saw so many whales and were lucky enough to witness feeding and one breach. We highly recommend you book with Alaska Sea to Shore for private whale watching. This was a day we will FOREVER remember!!!

Absolutely book with Renee and Winston at Alaska Sea to Shore!
Jul 2024 • Family
Renee and Winston were absolutely wonderful! Renee picked us from the cruise ship and transported us to the dock, all the while engaging us with great information about the surrounding area and life in Juneau. Upon reaching the dock, Winston and a plate of Renee’s chocolate chip cookies were waiting on board. Winston was such a great captain, navigating us to a site with 10-15 whales, all the while Renee, with the energetic heart of a teacher was teaching us about the whales and other marine life. We learned about their family business and what it was like to parent and live in Juneau. The boat was great and we moved from within the enclosed area to the front and rear decks as opportunity to see whales and weather indicated. There were binoculars on board for all of us. If you are looking for a great experience watching whales in Juneau, you’ve found it. BTW 50% of all airborne excursions in Alaska are cancelled due to weather. Don’t miss the whales in Juneau with Renee and Winston! You won’t regret this experience.

Hands down BEST excursion!!!!
Aug 2024 • Family
Alaska Sea to Shore was my best AK excursion by far! Rene and Winston were the ultimate hosts. Communication was exceptional throughout the booking process and Rene was extremely professional. Their enthusiasm was infectious. I felt we were aboard with two scientists! The boat was cozy and we had everything we needed. We saw Humpback whales, Orcas, and a mamma bear with her three cubs. I could not have dreamed of a better experience. Get away from the cruise crowds and book your trip with Alaska Sea to Shore, you will not be disappointed.

Hands down one of the top 3 cruise excursions I’ve been on in 20+ cruises. Renee’s knowledge and love of the whales is palpable, her ability to identify these beautiful mammals is inspiring. Both her and Winston work together as an amazing team to make the experience unforgettable. The homemade cookies are also quite delicious (I had 3 ). I would recommend this excursion to anyone without hesitation. Thank you for such a lovely and memorable day!

I have nothing but incredible things to say about Renee and Winston. We were a family of 10 on a bucket list trip for my grandfather (who isn’t as nimble as he thinks) Renee and Winston went above and beyond to make this tour accessible and unforgettable. The private tour is worth every penny! Their knowledge and enthusiasm is unmatched. The views are spectacular and they get just as excited as you do when you get to see the whales!! We were even given home made cookies!! I truly can’t put into words how much this excursion meant to us.

Best tour of our cruise
Aug 2024 • Family
What a day! Sea to Shore with Renee and Winston was the highlight of our entire cruise. They are fabulous host, their boat is clean and comfortable, and we ended up seeing so many wildlife. We travelled with grand-parents and kids which can sometime be a challenge but everyone loved it. Our youngest really wanted to walk on an inhabited island and despite running out of time (because we ran into a group of Orcas!), they made sure her could set foot on it even if just for a few minutes.
We highly recommend this company and already sent friends their way!
Thank you for the fabulous day.

Absolutely the best experience I’ve ever had on an excursion. They make you feel like you’re the friend they haven’t seen in forever, and now want to show you the best of the best. We saw more whales than I ever imagined, and my son was in his glory. Could not recommend these 2 any higher!!! Thank you so much for an incredible time and so many memories!!!!

This was an amazing experience! Rene and Winston are rockstars! Rene picked us up from our cruise in a nice clean van and we were on our way to the boat! Winston greeted us and we walk in to fresh baked cookies, snacks and drinks. We were on our way to an awesome day. We saw whales! A baby and a mama! We saw sea lions hanging out and made a stop on a cool beach to collect shells. Booking with locals is the only way to go. Renee took photos and sent them to us after. So nice to have the whole fam in photos. Rene is so passionate about whales and the wildlife, she had a ton of info to educate us on the whales. Loved that it was just our family on the boat.

8 members of my family went on a whale watching tour with Renee and Winston. It was phenomenal! They went above and beyond to give us an experience of a lifetime. If given another chance to visit Juneau, I would definitely do the tour again. Hands down, two of the best tour guides I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting!

Absolutely LOVED our experience with this company. Extremely loving, caring, souls, filled with knowledge and a love for what they do. Renee and Winston personalize each experience. They were so easy to work with and were super integral. It felt like going out on a boat with family. I highly recommend doing this tour over less expensive tours that are crowded and scripted. Oh and we saw whales!!!! It will be an adventure and memories you won’t forget!

Such an amazing experience. Renee and Winston were a dream. Prompt and courteous for pickup and then we quickly became friends. They had freshly baked chocolate chip cookies waiting for us on the boat. The boat was laid out in a super friendly and efficient way for viewing whales as well as learning about them. And boy did Renee and Winston know their stuff. We were very lucky to see all the whales we did but I also think that was because we were put in such a winning situation by Renee and Winston with a high probability of success. They even found time to play games with my 8 year old and had little animal toys for her to play with and learn. They even let her drive the boat! And when she got a splinter from playing on the dock, Renee drove us to her house after to get tweezers. Would recommend highly!

Renee & Winston took our family on the most exciting whale tour!! They completely tailored our tour to ensure we were having the time of our lives! They take time to connect with each person – including our five year old who was enthralled with them. We couldn’t imagine a better whale tour anywhere else. Thank you for such a truly magical experience today 09.19.24.

Hands down BEST excursion!!!!
Aug 2024 • Family
Alaska Sea to Shore was my best AK excursion by far! Rene and Winston were the ultimate hosts. Communication was exceptional throughout the booking process and Rene was extremely professional. Their enthusiasm was infectious. I felt we were aboard with two scientists! The boat was cozy and we had everything we needed. We saw Humpback whales, Orcas, and a mamma bear with her three cubs. I could not have dreamed of a better experience. Get away from the cruise crowds and book your trip with Alaska Sea to Shore, you will not be disappointed.

I have nothing but incredible things to say about Renee and Winston. We were a family of 10 on a bucket list trip for my grandfather (who isn’t as nimble as he thinks) Renee and Winston went above and beyond to make this tour accessible and unforgettable. The private tour is worth every penny! Their knowledge and enthusiasm is unmatched. The views are spectacular and they get just as excited as you do when you get to see the whales!! We were even given home made cookies!! I truly can’t put into words how much this excursion meant to us.

Absolutely LOVED our experience with this company. Extremely loving, caring, souls, filled with knowledge and a love for what they do. Renee and Winston personalize each experience. They were so easy to work with and were super integral. It felt like going out on a boat with family. I highly recommend doing this tour over less expensive tours that are crowded and scripted. Oh and we saw whales!!!! It will be an adventure and memories you won’t forget!

We had the most amazing experience! Renee and Winston were so friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. We saw so many whales and were lucky enough to witness feeding and one breach. We highly recommend you book with Alaska Sea to Shore for private whale watching. This was a day we will FOREVER remember!!!

Best tour of our cruise
Aug 2024 • Family
What a day! Sea to Shore with Renee and Winston was the highlight of our entire cruise. They are fabulous host, their boat is clean and comfortable, and we ended up seeing so many wildlife. We travelled with grand-parents and kids which can sometime be a challenge but everyone loved it. Our youngest really wanted to walk on an inhabited island and despite running out of time (because we ran into a group of Orcas!), they made sure her could set foot on it even if just for a few minutes.
We highly recommend this company and already sent friends their way!
Thank you for the fabulous day.

This was an amazing experience! Rene and Winston are rockstars! Rene picked us up from our cruise in a nice clean van and we were on our way to the boat! Winston greeted us and we walk in to fresh baked cookies, snacks and drinks. We were on our way to an awesome day. We saw whales! A baby and a mama! We saw sea lions hanging out and made a stop on a cool beach to collect shells. Booking with locals is the only way to go. Renee took photos and sent them to us after. So nice to have the whole fam in photos. Rene is so passionate about whales and the wildlife, she had a ton of info to educate us on the whales. Loved that it was just our family on the boat.

Hands down one of the top 3 cruise excursions I’ve been on in 20+ cruises. Renee’s knowledge and love of the whales is palpable, her ability to identify these beautiful mammals is inspiring. Both her and Winston work together as an amazing team to make the experience unforgettable. The homemade cookies are also quite delicious (I had 3 ). I would recommend this excursion to anyone without hesitation. Thank you for such a lovely and memorable day!

We were so thrilled and blessed to have spent time on the water with the Alaska Sea to Shore folks whose love of Alaska shines through! Renee met us at the port after we disembarked the Princess Sapphire and from the moment she welcomed us into the van, couldn’t have wished for a more compassionate, informative, and nature-loving guide! We drove the short distance to the marina where their charter boat is located (named after Renee’s daughter!) and were soon off an spotting our first humpback whale (after spying many bald eagles by land and by sea). Captain Luke was aboard that day and navigated the waters flawlessly, finding spot after spot for us to observe these majestic creatures in their home without disturbance. The comforts aboard are likely all Renee’s touches, and were perfect. Cookies, binoculars, comfortable seating indoors and out. Both were top notch naturalists who didn’t hesitate to help us learn more about the sea life in Alaska, the humpback whales in the area and even had a nice resource book with photo identification and short bios, even names! We had a family ranging from 13 to 75 and all really enjoyed the trip. We saw spouts, flipper flapping, full and partial breaches, even listened to their calls with a nifty speaker hook up! Many of the other reviews are spot on, the welcoming to Juneau, the ability to teach us so much about the wildlife and show us in a short period of time really made our trip to Alaska so special. (Yes, there is a loo on board for those who want to know!) Like their website touts, you will feel like you are on a boat trip with friends. In a heartbeat, you want to see whales in Juneau book with them!!

Absolutely book with Renee and Winston at Alaska Sea to Shore!
Jul 2024 • Family
Renee and Winston were absolutely wonderful! Renee picked us from the cruise ship and transported us to the dock, all the while engaging us with great information about the surrounding area and life in Juneau. Upon reaching the dock, Winston and a plate of Renee’s chocolate chip cookies were waiting on board. Winston was such a great captain, navigating us to a site with 10-15 whales, all the while Renee, with the energetic heart of a teacher was teaching us about the whales and other marine life. We learned about their family business and what it was like to parent and live in Juneau. The boat was great and we moved from within the enclosed area to the front and rear decks as opportunity to see whales and weather indicated. There were binoculars on board for all of us. If you are looking for a great experience watching whales in Juneau, you’ve found it. BTW 50% of all airborne excursions in Alaska are cancelled due to weather. Don’t miss the whales in Juneau with Renee and Winston! You won’t regret this experience.

8 members of my family went on a whale watching tour with Renee and Winston. It was phenomenal! They went above and beyond to give us an experience of a lifetime. If given another chance to visit Juneau, I would definitely do the tour again. Hands down, two of the best tour guides I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting!

Such an amazing experience. Renee and Winston were a dream. Prompt and courteous for pickup and then we quickly became friends. They had freshly baked chocolate chip cookies waiting for us on the boat. The boat was laid out in a super friendly and efficient way for viewing whales as well as learning about them. And boy did Renee and Winston know their stuff. We were very lucky to see all the whales we did but I also think that was because we were put in such a winning situation by Renee and Winston with a high probability of success. They even found time to play games with my 8 year old and had little animal toys for her to play with and learn. They even let her drive the boat! And when she got a splinter from playing on the dock, Renee drove us to her house after to get tweezers. Would recommend highly!

Epic day with Winston & Renee on their boat. They are both SUPER nice and accommodating.
Pick up at the cruise port was super easy. Renee was super nice introducing herself and the day on the drive to Auke Bay. They had water, sodas and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies on board when we arrived! They were extreeely safe and answered our three 12 year old boys gazillion questions without any frustrations. We saw a lot of humpbacks and enjoyed trying to identify them. Most of us even tasted the bull kelp she pulled out of the water.
The 8 of us had such a memorable time and enjoyed getting to know Winston & Renee for the afternoon! Book directly within them and you won’t regret it!

Absolutely the best experience I’ve ever had on an excursion. They make you feel like you’re the friend they haven’t seen in forever, and now want to show you the best of the best. We saw more whales than I ever imagined, and my son was in his glory. Could not recommend these 2 any higher!!! Thank you so much for an incredible time and so many memories!!!!